Martial Peak: Life Simulator

A sudden bright light burst from the cracks of the fallen statue.

Yan Xiu's eyes widened.

A Meridian Diagram!

Without wasting a second, he stepped forward, raising his sword high before bringing it down with full force. The blade struck the exposed core of the now "lifeless" statue—crack!—shattering it completely.

Among the broken stone pieces, a small statue lay quietly.

Yan Xiu reached out and picked it up, his breath still heavy from the fight. Holding the Meridian Diagram in his hands, a sense of accomplishment washed over him.

He had done it.

He had defeated a stone statue on his own. And this time, the reward belonged solely to him.

Yan Xiu grabbed the Meridian Diagram and ran without looking back as the other statues closed in.

When he reached the others, they had just finished defeating a statue and retrieved a Meridian Diagram from it. Right then, Yang Kai reappeared.

Before Yan Xiu could approach him, Lan Chu Die handed Yang Kai the Meridian Diagram they had just obtained.

Seeing Yan Xiu, she apologized, saying they had no more statues left to hunt. With that, the group headed for the exit.

As they walked, Yang Kai asked if Yan Xiu had succeeded. Yan Xiu nodded, saying he had obtained a Meridian Diagram.

Yang Kai simply smirked. "Good."

The group finally reached the outside. Sensing no immediate danger and noticing signs of people nearby, they decided to take a quick break.

Yan Xiu distanced himself from the others, his excitement barely contained. He wanted to know—what kind of Martial Skill was recorded in the Meridian Diagram?

Feeling the power coursing through his body, Yan Xiu clenched his fists. His once-soft skin was now like hardened stone, a protective layer forming over him.

After a moment of thought, he decided on a name.

Stone Armor Art—a technique that tempered the skin into solid stone, greatly enhancing his defense.

Yan Xiu stood up, eager to test his newfound strength. He punched a nearby tree with all his might. Crack! The tree fell instantly, uprooted by his force.

He deactivated the Stone Armor Art, his skin returning to normal. As he walked back to the group, he noticed something odd—his body felt stronger than before. The Stone Armor Art had enhanced his base strength, leaving him more powerful even without the technique active—even if only slightly so. It even refined one's body.

Yan Xiu reunited with the group, and they began walking back, following signs of nearby people. Soon, they encountered two large groups—one from the High Heaven Pavilion and another from the Storm Manor—arguing over who should hunt a 6th Order Beast.

As they approached, the two groups quickly dispersed, each returning to their respective sect. However, when Jie Hongchen, the leader of the High Heaven Pavilion group, saw Yang Kai, his expression darkened. Without hesitation, he kicked Yang Kai out, clearly holding some grudge against him.

Yan Xiu hesitated, unsure whether to follow Yang Kai or stay with the group. But when Jie Hongchen ordered Nie Yong to take some men and capture Yang Kai, Nie Yong instead suggested capturing Yan Xiu as bait to lure Yang Kai in. Realizing the danger, Yan Xiu quickly decided to run toward Yang Kai, slipping away unnoticed as the others remained distracted.

Nie Yong and a few disciples sprinted after Yang Kai and Yan Xiu, quickly closing the distance. Eventually, they caught up, surrounding the two.

Yang Kai, with a strength unknown to everyone, stood his ground with ease. Yan Xiu, though struggling, managed to hold his own thanks to the Stone Armor Art, his enhanced defense keeping him in the fight.

Then, without warning, Yang Kai unleashed a terrifying burst of pure Yang energy—a new martial skill he had acquired from his own Meridian Diagram. The sheer force of his attack stunned their pursuers, throwing them into confusion.

Seizing the opportunity, Yang Kai and Yan Xiu exchanged a glance before diving into the nearby lake, disappearing beneath the surface to escape.

Yang Kai and Yan Xiu dove deeper into the lake, curiosity driving them as the depths seemed endless. The water grew darker, yet they pressed on.

After some time, they discovered a strange underwater current. Letting it carry them, they soon emerged into a hidden cave.

Inside, a narrow path stretched forward, lined with precious herbs growing in abundance. It was clear this place led somewhere important. Following the path, they eventually reached a secret chamber.

At the center of the chamber, a bright orb of light rested atop an ancient skeleton, illuminating the space with an eerie glow.

The moment Yan Xiu's gaze locked onto the orb, an overwhelming force tore his soul from his body. He had no time to react. A sinister presence seized control, his body now possessed by a powerful demonic presence.

Yan Xiu had died.]

[Simulation Ended.]

[Grade: C-]

[Evaluation: You have shown remarkable growth and courage, from creating your own martial skill to enter places where dangers far beyond your comprehension lay. Unfortunately, your luck ran out. You should have been more careful.]

[Life Simulation Time remaining: 51.6 years]

As the golden words marking the end of the simulation faded before his eyes, Yan Xiu let out a sigh.

"Well, he died way too quickly and easily… Yang Kai really attracts all sorts of trouble."

He shook his head, recalling how the simulation had ended. Possessed by some demonic presence? That was something he hadn't expected. He had been growing steadily stronger, yet in the end, a single misstep had led to his demise.

"He seems like quite a kind guy… at least from what was shown in the simulation. I wonder why my soul hated him so much..."

The thought lingered for a moment, but he quickly dismissed it. Whatever the reason, it wasn't something he could figure out now.

"Well, it's not the time to dwell on such things," Yan Xiu muttered, his eyes lighting up with excitement. He clenched his fists, eager to see what he could gain from this experience. "Show me the rewards."

At his command, the golden words flared brightly once more.

[Select a reward from this simulation:

1. Flowing Sword Art

2. Stone Armor Art

3. Battle Experience]

"Well, is there even something to think about in this choice?"

To be continued...

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How was this chapter? Liked it?

Also, I don't quite like the name of the martial skill he has acquired in the simulation, Stone Titan Body, I tried to come up with better names but nothing better came up in my mind. So, if you have any ideas, or if you simply like this name and don't want to change it, tell me.

Be sure to check out my original novel Hyperborea!